The UK could be on the brink of a grey-haired crime wave with around 210,000 pensioners considering resorting to crime to supplement their income, a survey reveals.

According to insurer Prudential, based in Reading, which conducts a quarterly survey of the income, expenditure and lifestyle of the UK's retired, around 20 per cent of pensioners are struggling to meet their financial commitments.

A two per cent section of the cash-strapped retired population of 10 million is either thinking of turning to crime or has already committed acriminal act. That figure has doubled in size since February 2001 when Prudential last asked the question.

A spokesman for Age Concern said: "It is a worrying trend. In spite of political pronouncements, one in five pensioners in the UK continues to live in poverty while £1.8 billion in income benefits remain unclaimed. This is a national disgrace."

Prudential's survey also showed that women are finding it harder than men to get by. Around 24 per cent of retired women admitted they were struggling to meet financial commitments compared with 15 per cent of men.

Almost half of the pensioners questioned said they had cut back on spending during the past three months.

Prudential's findings showed that around two million pensioners have been forced to go back to work to subsidise their spending or else to escape the boredom of retirement.

Of those who return to work, around 27 per cent do so because they need the money, with seven per cent getting a job because they enjoy working.

Roger Ramsden, director of marketing at Prudential, said: "The number of

pensioners who feel their low household income restricts them from leading a comfortable life in retirement has consistently risen since we started the Prudential retirement index last year."

The survey was carried out in June and July among a representative sample of 480 pensioners.